One NC Naturally Program Staff Changes
Sadly, One NC Naturally lost one of its strongest advocates when Nann Guthrie passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 23, 2005. Nann left behind a legacy of years of tireless dedication to the enrichment and protection of western North Carolina's natural resources. Nann will be sorely missed as a coworker and friend. She inspired many with her spirit of public service and commitment to the environment, especially in the arena of air quality. Gifts can be made in her memory to the Clean Air Community Trust Education Fund or to the North Carolina Arboretum as a fitting way to ensure her work lives on through others.

Former DENR Secretary Jonathan Howes hired Nann Guthrie in 1993 (during Gov. Hunt’s third administration) to become the office manager for DENR’s Asheville Regional office. Though she remained in the Asheville area, Nann’s role for the department changed in 1994 when she became the Western Region Senior Field Officer. In this role, Nann represented DENR on a whole host of issues including serving on behalf of the department on various boards and commissions, providing legislative contact on specific issues related to the western part of the state, and working with local and regional governments on environmental issues, especially in the field of air quality. Nann also played a key role in several successful conferences including: the World Botanic Gardens Congress in June 2000, the first North Carolina Air Summit held in Charlotte in 1999 and two statewide conferences for the One NC Naturally initiative: Partnerships in Conservation in 2003 and the Value$ of Conservation 2005. Nann also staffed and participated on the North Carolina Parks, Parkway and Forest Development Council.

Three new employees join the Office of Conservation and Community Affairs to bolster efforts to implement the One NC Naturally Initiative.

Jimmy Johnson, former Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman, will be based in eastern North Carolina with a primary focus on the implementation of the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP). Jimmy will work closely with the CHPP Steering Committee and the Environmental Management Commission, the Coastal Resources Commission and the Marine Fisheries Commission, and with DENR staff to coordinate and ensure CHPP implementation. He will also work closely with local and regional governments as well as fishing associations and other non-governmental organizations to promote CHPP and the One North Carolina Naturally initiative.

Jimmy most recently worked with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as an environmental and natural resource specialist, where he provided technical assistance to farm interests regarding agriculture practices and the environment. Jimmy’s past experience in the development and adoption of the CHPP will allow him to hit the ground running and assist the CHPP Steering Committee in its effort to focus on both technical accuracy and potential action options and recommendations for the CHPP. Jimmy Johnson joined the Office of Conservation and Community Affairs on Jan. 3, 2006.

Jerry Dorsett, former area coordinator for the Division of Soil and Water Conservation, will be based in Winston-Salem, with a primary focus on the development and implementation of a plan that provides strategies to sustain our state’s agricultural and forest lands as working lands. Jerry will continue to work closely with the soil and water districts, as well as our Division of Forest Resources, in the development of a working lands plan for the state. He will also work closely with farm and forest associations, local governments and individuals to sustain our farms and forests so they can continue to be productive economically, provide water and wildlife conservation and to sustain their rich cultural heritage that is so important to North Carolina.

Jerry holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC-Charlotte and a master’s degree from Appalachian State University, along with more than 24 years of experience working in Soil & Water Conservation programs. In his role with Soil & Water, Jerry has provided support for various programs including community conservation, best management practices for farms and urban land users, agriculture cost share, conservation easements, land use planning and sustainable agriculture. He has acted as a liaison to many agriculture interests including the North Carolina Association of Soil & Water Districts, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Cooperative Extension Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service and local governments. Jerry will be joining the Office of Conservation and Community Affairs on Jan. 17, 2006.

Janine Nicholson, previously with DENR's Office of Environmental Education, is now Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Office of Conservation and Community Affairs. Based in Raleigh, Janine’s focus is on providing outreach and education to a wide variety of audiences throughout North Carolina, in order to generate interest in and understanding of the urgent need for conservation. This focused effort includes landowners, citizens, government officials, conservation groups, developers and businesses throughout the state. Janine is developing a targeted approach to communicate One NC Naturally’s three program areas through exhibits, printed and electronic materials, networking and an effective Web presence.

For a number of years, Janine has been a research consultant and educator focusing on the environment and other sustainability issues. She has been with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources since 2000, and has worked on several cross-division projects, including One North Carolina Naturally and the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan. She came to DENR with 26 years of experience, where she focused on teaching, leadership and curriculum development within public education in Florida and North Carolina.

2005 NC State Fair
One NC Naturally was a featured component of the “Our Land, Our Legacy” exhibit at the 2005 North Carolina State Fair. More than 100,000 people visited the exhibit during the 10-day run. Interactive and informative activities educated attendees about the environmental and economic benefits that working farms provide, and demonstrated the value of intact cropland and forest land to human health and quality of life. The Department of Environment & Natural Resources plans to participate in this exhibit again in 2006.

Interactive Map Viewer update
It is now easier to locate a specific conservation area using the NC Conservation Lands Map Viewer. Simply enter the ZIP code or choose a county, city or river basin from a list. The map will quickly zoom to the selected area, where you can select which layers you want to view. See for yourself at http://www.onencnaturally.org/pages/mapviewer.html

Stay up to date on conservation
One North Carolina Naturally maintains a contact list of people who have an interest in conservation. By adding your name to this list, you will receive important notices, materials and current announcements. Be sure to tell your colleagues to sign up at http://www.onencnaturally.org/pages/listservsignup.asp.